Must Have Been Fate
by AtticService
Summary: One fate can be cruel. Two can be confusing. Three can be disastrous.
1. Prologue

It wasn't a dark and stormy night. The bright full moon hanging loftily in the sky shone down upon the world below, miniature specks of light, no quite so glorious of the moon, easily overlooked on such a night. The moon was huge, and the cloudless night sky allowed it's magnificent splendor to shine almost as brilliantly as the sun upon the sleeping world below.  
  
Small brick houses with thatched roofs littered the grassy slope. A castle crowned the nearby hill, the tallest pinnacle of which looked as though it was piercing the moon's side. Candlelight shone meekly through few various shutters, the night was at its peek and the common man was most likely asleep in his bed, resting for the labor of the next day.  
  
The fields of the small kingdom lay orderly upon the level ground at the base of the slightly slopping land. Most peasants worked there. A river ran in lazy curls across the green meadow, irrigation ditches breaching off of its sides to provide life support for the crops that based the kingdom's economy. A marketplace, the other optional work place for the common man, was centered directly between the outer walls of the castle and the first rows of crop. It took up much room, and the buildings that lined the sides of the pentagon shaped market square were the largest of the village by far. Here there were taverns, hotels, trading posts and the likes.  
  
The outskirts of the pentagon-shaped Market Square were the main stems of life for the village. Houses and shacks lined the crowded cobbled streets. Beyond these were the larger manors, the homes of the lords and dukes that owned significant amounts of property as gift from the king. Each of these was spacious, with personal cropping areas, gardens and, for the more ostentatious of these, shabby brick walls made in imitation of the castle upon the hilltop.  
  
It is in these manors a story begins. One that would one day be printed as it's own fable. A small manor, it was nearer to the outer line of the last of the crowded houses and shacks. A simple gate of wood was constructed at the entranceway to the manor, and an oddly intricate gate pattern began to extend from each side, but only a few feet as if the maker of the gate had decided to drop the troublesome pattern. Instead, a rather simple and boring pattern had then begun, one that was made of three wooden posts hung between the two at either end. Past the gates, a garden of flowers layered the left side of the entrance road, one that included a marble fountain, a carving of something that looked much like a mix between a person and a fish and a single bench, half hidden by large fir trees.  
  
Inside the house itself, a quaint little building, a small girl woke in screams of fear and hysteria, breaking through the silence of the peak of the night.  
  
Lady Inque entered her young daughter's room, carrying with her a candelabrum of five flickering candles. A boy of but nine years or so peeked cautiously around his mother, rubbing a limp palm into one of his eyes, failing miserably at stifling his fatigued yawns.  
  
"Need he-help mother?" He asked wearily, blinking up at the lady with a frown creasing his young features.  
  
"It's quiet alright Jonasth, return to bed." She smiled lovingly at her oldest child who willingly obliged with her request and scurried off to his own room. The lady then entered her daughter's room and after placing the candelabra upon the floor, sat upon the edge of her daughter's bed, pulling the child against her side in a warm hug.  
  
"Shush now Leiryh, mother's here..." She cooed consolingly to the young girl. Leiryh's sobs slowly faded into whimpers. "A nightmare darling, a dream." The lady easily read the child's whimpering and reassured her with soft words.  
  
The girl could only shiver in reminiscence of the horrible vision. "Mommy..." She sniffled into her mothers arms. The lady gently cradled the girl in her arms, shifting to make herself more comfortable on the bed. "A story?" The girl's words were muffled, but hopeful.  
  
The mother grinned, leaning her head back in thought. "Yes, a tale it is then. The one about Jon perhaps?" Only the mother could see the young girl smile. "Once upon a time, for it was quite a time ago indeed, there was Prince. He was a kind Prince, but also as most boys are, he was a Prince with a taste for adventure. On his seventeenth birthday, he was set out upon the adventure he so craved..."  
  
The tale wove images of contentment into the young girl's head and she was soon fast asleep. The mother however continued the story until it's very end.  
  
"And Jon returned home with his treasure and his friends to be welcomed by his entire village. He was then crowned king and lived happily ever after." The lady looked down at her child's peaceful face, smiling gently at her own thoughts.  
  
Her daughter Leiryh, sweet Leiryh. After three sons the lady had been restless for a girl with which to bond. And now, the much-coveted child slept peacefully in her arms. Reluctant to leave her precious child alone, or rather reluctant to leave the room without her precious child, the lady took several moments arranging the child's head comfortably upon the soft pillows. She brushed the light brown hair from the fragile featured face, fearing to wake the child from such a beautiful sleep. Slowly, the mother took leave of the room, latching the door shut with regret.  
  
Outside the window, a shadow shifted against the thatched roof. The moon lit the moving blackness as it took to the air. 


	2. Otamo and Erih

Leiryh sat against the rough bark of a large tree. Its branches spread high above, blocking the blazing sun that faulted the otherwise perfectly idle day. Fluffy white clouds passed through the blue sky as a gentle but warm breeze ruffled the long grass. A stream bubbled nearby, music for the forest's melancholy peace.  
  
The girl's knees were pulled up tight against her chest. A rather dismally colored skirt was spread over her pale skin, and her arms wrapped in a link around her shins. She watched the rabbit shaped cloud drift off in the distance; she had been watching it since it meander over her head a while ago. One of the more gusty of winds played with the short curls atop her head and blew up pollen from the nearby flower meadow into her eyes. She blinked, tears already welling within her eyelids, and when she looked again her rabbit was gone.  
  
Sighing contently, she stretched out from the balled up position she had been in; her legs spread out in front of her and her arms reaching out from her sides. She rolled her neck once; it had cramped while watching the clouds. A common pastime of most young children, the clouds provided free entertainment and she was often told to expand her imagination. Just not too far...  
  
Sudden loud splashes awoke her from her reverie and she looked towards the nearby river for the source. Two figures wrestled in the shallow waters. A cascade of water droplets was unintentionally sent her direction and she quickly decided she had chosen a rather precarious place to rest in. Shifting around the tree and further up the bank, she watched the two with a smile.  
  
One was her friend Otamo. The son of a lesser lord, Otamo had befriended Leiryh at the young age of five. Leiryh remembered her first meeting with the boisterous boy. She had managed to get stuck in a tree in the public orchards and he had relentlessly teased her from neighboring branches. Of course he had eventually helped the rather indignant Leiryh down, but first impressions at such a young age meant very little in the long run.  
  
Otamo's opponent was Leiryh's other friend, the boyish lady Erih. Erih was the daughter of the king's favorite vassal, but at first impression no one would've known. Her hair was long, golden and well kept at the insistence of her parents, but whenever the girl had the chance, she would pin it up atop her head in a large ball. Erih had met Leiryh only momentarily at a cotillion for the greater vassals of the king, and they hadn't exactly been on the best of terms. But when Erih met Otamo, they became immediate friends, and through Otamo the two girls had become sisters.  
  
Leiryh watched the battle, laughing softly and only calling out to supply Erih with encouragement and suggestions. When Otamo finally managed to momentarily subdue Erih, he glared reproachfully up the bank to Leiryh.  
  
"Hey! Haven't you known me longer?" He asked with obvious humorous intentions.  
  
Leiryh shrugged and watched as Erih managed to escape from the distracted Otamo. "Sure, but I like Erih better." She grinned and leaned back, supported on her arms, to watch the finale of the battle.  
  
"How could-"Otamo was unable to finish his angry retaliation as Erih submerged him in the water and hopped over him, clambering up onto the bank. Otamo surfaced, spluttering madly and glaring at the two girls laughing mirthlessly at him from the bank. Once under control, the defeated figure sulked onto the bank.  
  
Leiryh clutched her stomach in laughter. Erih stood behind her friend, grinning victoriously. Otamo looked once at the two before turning as if stalking away. Leiryh bound to her feet, unwilling to hurt the pride of anyone purposefully or otherwise. She raced to her friend, planting herself in front of him to keep him from simply passing by. She had to bend her head back in order to look up into her already tall friend's face. His features were curved to that of a frown, but his brown eyes danced with suppressed emotions; Leiryh was unable to read expressions very well, but she had always been rather good with vocal tones.  
  
"You shouldn't challenge her when you know she's going to beat you every time Tam." She reprimanded him softly. Erih had walked over and grinned spiritedly as she watched the two from the side.  
  
Otamo's expressions changed quite quickly. He was no longer feigning any emotion; his pride was truly hurt. "I don't challenge her! She challenges me and I," he changed tone and stuck out his chin, "the valiant knight that I will one day be, had no choice but to oblige a lady!" He glared over at Erih at the topic of her lady authorities.  
  
"You're not a knight." Erih pointed out. She was now leaning arrogantly against a nearby tree trunk.  
  
"And she's not a lady." Leiryh tried to accompany Erih's good point with one of her own. Erih stood up off the tree and looked at Leiryh with astonishment. "I mean, she's not a lady yet. A proper – er – recognized, I mean an acknowledged lady yet. Her cotillion presence isn't until next year."  
  
"Thanks Leiryh." Erih grumbled as she turned and walked back to the bank. A small round stone skipped across the now calm shallows. Otamo looked rather entertained and smiled reassuringly at his old friend.  
  
"Don't worry, she didn't take it personally." Leiryh blushed furiously and sunk to the ground, holding her head in her hands. Otamo laughed and pat Leiryh's head softly before joining Erih on the bank. Leiryh peeked out at the two and eavesdropped upon their conversation; they meant for her to hear it anyway.  
  
"Your cotillion is next year isn't it?" Otamo asked Erih.  
  
"Yes. Seven months. Mother's already planning everything and she's been trying to include me in it all. Although she ignores most my suggestions." Erih sighed and tossed another smooth rock across the water surface. It sank after the second skip into the middle of the river.  
  
"But wasn't your twelfth birthday just last week?" Leiryh piped up, spreading out form her ball position once more and looking curiously up at her friend.  
  
"Yes, but Father wants to present me to court as soon as possible. It's technically okay to be a little early, but not always considered proper."  
  
"Ah, but that's just you isn't it Erih? Always one to break with the proper beliefs?" Otamo was thrown into the waters and Erih calmly walked back to sit next to Leiryh.  
  
"So, eleven in three months right?" 


	3. The Fates Ratiug and Tol

A beautiful child, born to those who want. But greed alas shall not be theirs to flaunt. Tragedy strikes, foes beware! The eldest throne shall bear no heir.  
  
And upon the fourth year, after a weeks due. Illness shall strike; a friend's death will ensue.  
  
And upon the third drop of the first wall. The father's throne, his ruling chair, shall fall.  
  
And upon the tenth birthday, that which is best. A loving mother shall be put to rest.  
  
Fates Ratiug, Tol and Ezilat Prophesier  
  
Each year, three prophesiers would visit my father's house. He would take council with each one separately. Mother and I were always called to be present upon the first two but for the third, I would be pushed outside into the hallway to wait with my elder brothers and the two previous witches. The first memory of the creepy women that I had was the week before my fourth birthday. One of the witches, she called herself Ratiug, cornered me in the hallway while my brothers were preoccupied arguing about some boy matter.  
  
Her hair was gray and stiff; it poked my forehead as she leaned close. Her eyes were gold and glittered with silver speckles. Her nose was long and crooked; it looked as though it had once been hooked towards her lips but some accident had caused her nose to flip sideways. She wore a witch's hat, a tall, black and pointy hat that barely balanced upon her stick hair. When she spoke to me, her breath came out in bellows of odorous stink; if I hadn't been so scared of the odd lady I probably would have made myself sick.  
  
"You'd best watch your pup dear." She cackled, leaning away so her harmony- lacking laughter could be heard throughout the manor. My brothers broke from the argument and came to my aid. Jonasth, the oldest, picked up my shivering form and carried me back to the couch outside the door through which my parents and the third witch stood talking.  
  
On my fourth birthday, a litter of pups was born of father's best hunting hounds. The runt of the litter was instantly my favorite and I bonded quickly to it. I had always had a soft spot for the outcasts. A week after their birth the runt pup died. I was in grief, a four-year-olds grief perhaps, but a period of grief that I remembered the rest of my life. It was then that I realized the importance of the witches that visited each year. They could tell future truths, and father was using them for his benefit.  
  
From then on, I paid my closest attention to the witches that visited each year. I would stand close to my mother's side as we stood by father's desk. He would be pacing around behind his chair for while of the witch's presentations. I noticed I was the only child allowed to be present at the meetings between father and the first two witches. For the third witch only father and mother were allowed to watch her presentation.  
  
My reasoning was simple. Mother had always favored me, her only daughter, over all her boys. The third witch must have been something else though. I decided her presentations must have been only for adult ears, such as the words that mother and father refused to tell the boys about. I was only partially right.  
  
As I grew older, I realized the witches were prophesizing my life. One week before my birthday they would come and warn father about what would happen to me in the future year.  
  
The two witches that I was allowed to visit with were Ratiug, the old lady with stick hair as I forever remembered her, and Tol, a young woman that completely contrasted Ratiug. Tol had bright red hair that was smooth as silk and always plaited prettily down her back. She had bright green eyes, and always wore a smile. Her clothes were that of a normal noble lady; an elegant but simple dress and a few jewels to adorn her neck and wrists. I always remembered her as clean only because she was so often compared to Ratiug in my mind.  
  
I also remembered Tol as the humorous of the two. She would be serious in face of father and mother, predicting with confusing rhymes much like her counterpart, Ratiug, but when she approached me she would always present me with a magicians trick of some sort and tell me in more plain words the more frivolous of her prophesies.  
  
I remembered in particular the week before my seventh birthday. Tol approached me in the hallway as the third witch spoke with my mother and father. She was whistling a jolly tune and searching the ceiling with great interest, but I had known she was coming for me. She calmly reached out her hand as if in offering to take mine. I was excited, this was my favorite trick, but I wouldn't show her; I reached out to take her hand. Before I could reach her fingertips however, a single rose popped out from midair. The witch presented it to me, and I took it gently in my own fingers. There were no thorns on its stems to harm me and its petals were an absolute pearly white.  
  
"I'd avoid really big chairs if I were you." She grinned and patted my head. At that moment the third witch appeared from my father's office and the three were gone.  
  
Our manor had trouble with carriages. Our front wall was so near to the main roadway that the especially loud thundering of large carriages easily toppled the less intricate of our gate segments. By my seventh birthday, the gates have completely toppled only twice. A few weeks after my seventh birthday, the king's own guard visited our manor to take us away to the king's court for presentation. As we left, a dog upon the road jolted the horses and the harsh correction we made to correct the horses' mistake took the carriage in path of our gate. The entirety of the less intricately constructed fence fell to the ground. Later, at the palace, as our father presented to the king, my youngest brother, in his intense curiosity with the golden thrones, accidentally pushed me into the side of the throne belonging to the Heir Prince. Luckily, the heir prince was absent, but unluckily, my collision with the chair toppled it off the dais that we all stood upon.  
  
A/N: Yay for reviewers! Okay, that's all I had to say. 


	4. Sudden Surprises

A/N: Sorry for any confusion, which I expected. Yes the person speaking in The Fates was Leiryh. I was only doing it in first person because it worked better for my story plot than doing it in third would've been. The remainder of the story should be in third person but for one more chapter from Leiryh's point of view; I meant to add more stuff, a lot more to the previous chapter but forgot. Sorry for confusing you.  
  
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Leiryh looked over the manor garden deep in thought. She was reclined quite comfortably in the bench beneath her room window. Her eyes swept over the flowerbeds, the gravel paths winding through the bushes towards her mother's private fountain; it was hidden from her view by a large pine tree. A forgotten round of cloth lay in her lap. A long strand of pink thread was woven into the thin material; it created a picture of two lines. Leiryh had never been one for embroidery, but society insisted all proper young ladies were to weave. The girl traced a finger across the wooden windowsill, her imagination travelling off to past memories and events. In fact she had never really enjoyed the feel of cloth between her fingers.  
  
Erih's cotillion unveiling had been last week. Being the daughter of the kings favored vassal, Erih had had her cotillion at the royal castle, and it had been hers alone. Leiryh was to present herself with four other girls her age at a lesser palace somewhere near the market center.  
  
Leiryh hadn't been personally invited to her best friend's cotillion presence. Her elder brother Edtin had received an invitation from Erih's family only because he was considered a possible suitor for their daughter. Leiryh knew that Erih planned never to marry, or at least not yet. The surprisingly boisterous friend of Leiryh's had plotted out her entire life; she had then taken an entire afternoon detailing it to Leiryh and never once did the younger girl catch an intention of marriage from her friend.  
  
Edtin had been persuaded to take his younger sister to the cotillion with her by both Leiryh and the eldest child of their family, Jonasth. Whatever Jon told his siblings, it was unquestionably agreed with. So when Jon had blankly told Edtin to take Leiryh with him the argument was dropped.  
  
Sighing and with one last glance at the flowers dancing in the wind below her, Leiryh swung her legs off the bench and stood up, walking briskly across her room. The cotillion had been fun; Leiryh had been surprised to find Otamo there, but was ecstatic with his presence when she realized Erih would be busy dancing the entire duration of her cotillion. Leiryh smiled as she corrected her memory. Not the entirety, the three friends had escaped for the last hour of the four-hour occasion during a musician pause; they jumped the short rail of one of the side balconies.  
  
The only misfortune Leiryh happened upon during the cotillion was tripping over the hem of her gown and falling into the arms of a servant who then spilled the food contents of his tray all over the young girl. The servant had been reprimanded in front of the entire party after Leiryh's balance had been righted and later fired, which Leiryh regretted quite bitterly.  
  
A bell rung from somewhere within the manor. It was one of those loud ones that could be heard no matter where you tried to hide from it. Leiryh's dazed reminiscence moment was broken and she quickly dressed from her nightgown to a more proper but still drab dress. She walked quickly through the halls towards the main parlor, for it was unseemly for ladies to run, eager to discover the identity of the sudden visitor.  
  
A long stairway led her from the second story of the manor to the main hall where the front door stood ajar. Leiryh's interest was whet; who was so important that her father had forgotten to close the door. She controlled her speed to a brisk walk across the wide front hall to the parlor door and was about to peek through the open doorway when a hand wrapped around her shoulder.  
  
Leiryh spun quickly, jumped by the sudden touch of someone she hadn't noticed present before to find herself glaring up into familiar gold eyes.  
  
"Ratiug!" She inhaled sharply, at a loss for breath, much less anymore words. It was four months to her twelfth birthday, the witch wasn't supposed to be here before then.  
  
"Shush child!" Tol's familiar but oddly impatient voice called out from behind her fellow prophesier. "Your father, we must speak to him. Where is he?"  
  
Leiryh pointed weakly to the open parlor door and watched the two witches wordlessly.  
  
"Oh drat," cursed Ratiug as she peeked through the door. "Ezilat's little bother got here first." With that she and Tol slipped into the parlor, closing the door firmly behind them and leaving Leiryh starring at the carved wood. Another hand on her shoulder made her squeal and she spun to find Otamo's hand clamped over her mouth.  
  
"Shush!" He implored suppressing his own laughter. Leiryh glared at the older boy, mad at him for various different reasons, which he certainly didn't understand much less, know about. "I know how loud you can scream. Sorry if I surprised you." He grinned, slowly removing his hand from Leiryh's mouth.  
  
"I wouldn't have screamed." Leiryh protested, crossing her arms over her chest and keeping her glare upon Otamo; her eyes were locked squarely with his brown ones.  
  
"You already were screaming if you hadn't noticed." He pointed out, relaxing into a usual debate session. His opponent merely huffed her discontent and began walking towards the door. Frowning in confusion, the boy followed close behind. "What got you so scared?"  
  
Leiryh stepped out onto the gravel walkway leading away from the manor before answering. "Nothing. I wasn't scared."  
  
"Then why were you screaming?" The boy easily caught up with Leiryh's fast pace as she made her path towards the fountain trails she had been gazing at earlier.  
  
"I already told you, I didn't scream." She slowed as she rounded the first bush, reaching out a hand to brush against the soft greens. Summer was indeed her favorite season.  
  
"Oh, then that sound that is still ringing around in my ears wasn't you."  
  
"No." She scowled towards the ground before sighing and stopping to look at Otamo. She could never remain mad long enough to maintain a debate with him. "If you want an argument you might want to go find Erih. I'm sorry for making your ears hurt." She wouldn't tell him about the reason why she was so surprised no one but her blood family knew about the fates.  
  
Otamo laughed merrily. It was just like Leiryh to apologize after two minutes of disagreement. "Erih's still being punished for avoiding her own cotillion. Apparently we disappeared before she was actually presented to the royal family."  
  
"Oh no!" Leiryh was greatly alarmed. To avoid the king? How embarrassing it must have been for Erih's parents.  
  
Otamo grimaced at the girls over reaction. "It's not as though the king has never seen the oldest daughter of his favorite noble," he mumbled, pulling leaves from a nearby bush. "You know Leiryh, you should try and lessen on the dramatics. Jonasth wouldn't like the court men swooning over you already."  
  
Leiryh frowned. Jon had brought up the same subject when Leiryh had returned from Erih's cotillion. "I'm eleven Tam." She spoke both reproachfully and sarcastically. Why her brothers and Otamo thought men would swarm to a dramatic eleven-year-old when there was a beautiful girl like Erih floating around was beyond Leiryh. Besides, she was technically cursed.  
  
"I know what the court guys are like, Leiryh. They swarm towards money and placidity." He shrugged, looking back at her manor over his shoulder. Leiryh hated when Otamo decided to act like Jonasth. True, they had become friends through the girl, but that didn't mean they had to be twins. She had nothing to retaliate with.  
  
"Your fourteen Otamo, what girls are you swarming towards?" Erih's voice behind the pair suddenly piped up. Leiryh managed to suppress the squeal of surprise she had greeted Otamo with but after spinning quickly in surprise she lost her balance and fell to the ground in a heap.  
  
"Fifteen." Otamo corrected before looking to Leiryh as she sat flustered on the ground. "Why are you so easy to surprise today?"  
  
"No reason." Leiryh spoke slowly, feeling her head with her hand while pushing away from the ground with the other. Otamo, once recollected from his confusion and valiant as ever reached down to take hold of Leiryh's arm and helped her up. "I must be going though, sorry Erih." She apologized to her newly arrived friend before racing off down an adjoining path; she knew it as a short cut to the manor.  
  
Erih and Otamo watched as Leiryh sprinted away, both of them trying to recall the last time they had seen Leiryh flustered enough to be running in a skirt. 


	5. The Fate Ezilat

The Fate Ezilat  
  
A/N: Hopefully the last Leiryh POV.  
  
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I knew the fates Tol and Ratiug fairly well by the age I was ten, but I also knew there was a third one that I didn't know personally at all. I didn't even know the name of this third fate, nor do I have much to remember her by except for the outcomes of her prophecies.  
  
When I was eight, my elder brother Jonasth who was fifteen was admitted by my parents to join them in meeting the three fates. I was still restricted to talking only with Ratiug and Tol and Jonasth refused to tell me anything of the third but for her name, which I frequently forgot; Ezilat, the mysterious fate.  
  
I was desperate to know what was going on behind the doors during the periods in which mother, father and Jonasth listened to Ezilat's presentation. She must have spoken very quietly for my brothers, who could easily hear Tol and Ratiug through the doors couldn't hear a thing from the third fate. Quiet, or perhaps a witch with actual skill powers.  
  
When I was six, my mother confronted me about the truth of the odd witches that visited each year and told future truths. Before I had known anything I had simply thought them friends of my father that he used to his advantage. As for my presence in the presentations, I merely thought that I was brought because I was mother's favorite. I was mother's favorite, but my reasoning was far from correct.  
  
My mother was always a kind soul. When she saw a witch, cold, wet and homeless on the road, she willingly offered for the witch to take shelter in father's manor. The witch had stayed for weeks and had befriended the young boys and the lady of the manor in particular. It was that witch that first let my mother know her soon-to-be-born child would be the girl my mother had been praying for.  
  
The witch had been present for my birth, in fact she had been the midwife. It hadn't been a complicated birth, in fact mother had been in labor a mere three hours before I had been born. The witch thought it all very odd though and while I had lain in my mother's arms she had spoken to my mother and father.  
  
The witch had seen my curse. My mother had been so in want for a girl that the child had come with a curse. It wasn't an eternal slumber or an unbreakable obedience such as the fairy tale stories I was so familiar with, but the curse of having three fates. Most common humans only had one fate and few were unlucky enough to know their fates personally. I had three and I was destined to know each of them personally.  
  
Mother and father thought little of it. The witch left the manor a week after my birth without notice to my mother; they had been friendly enough before my birth.  
  
It wasn't until a week before my first birthday that they had remembered the curse. Father had been in his office, working with his businesses and mother had been cuddling me as usual out in the garden by her fountain. I was never told what brought them both to the parlor, but when they arrived there together, they knew something had gone wrong. Standing in their parlor were three oddly diverse witches.  
  
Each year after that the three witches, my fates, would visit and each would present my fate for the future year. Of course, the confusing part was deciding which fate's advice to heed first for each prophesized a different fate. Sometimes two would agree and rarely would all three agree.  
  
My only glimpse of the third fate, Ezilat, had been that week before my first birthday when mother had carried me into the parlor with father to find three witches looking expectantly at her. Something must have warned her about that third witch because, as I was told, she quickly hurried me out of the room and to my curious brothers.  
  
Of course I never remembered that day. I had nothing to remember Ezilat by until the week before my tenth birthday. Jonasth had rushed out of the meeting with Ezilat looking pale and bewildered. When the fate herself opened the door, the signal to the other two that it was time to go, all three were quickly gone. The air around the place were the third fate had disappeared was unusually smoky.  
  
I looked to Jonasth, curious and nervous. He spent a moment watching the smoke dissipate before he ran out the front door. Apprehensively I entered father's office to find father weeping openly into his wife's arms. I wasn't willing nor old enough to expect the worse.  
  
The day after the fates' visit mother fell ill with an unidentifiable illness. Upon the noon of my tenth birthday she died. I was numbed for months. I wouldn't go out and play with Otamo or Erih. I wouldn't speak to my father. The only person I would've spoken to, Jonasth, was furious with my existence for it was me that took his mother away from him.  
  
Four weeks after mother's funeral I was confronted by Jonasth, Otamo and Erih. Jonasth had looked rather embarrassed but both Otamo and Erih were fierce. They told me it wasn't my fault for my mother's death, carving into my thoughts and memories that just because the fates were mine their prophecies were for me not because of me. Jonasth eventually dismissed Otamo and Erih, after listening to their crazed ranting; Erih had been particularly difficult to get rid of.  
  
I remembered the conversation with Jonasth the rest of my life, the enforcement of Otamo and Erih's points and then one of his own.  
  
Jonasth had sturdy emotions from that day forward, easily taking over the business of running the manor through inheritance as father aged. He had numb feelings towards other people, but he opened willing to his closest of friends and me.  
  
My only other memory of the third fate Ezilat was the day she died. Tol and Ratiug had surprised me in the manor early in the morning. Father had taken a day of counsel with the two fates and Ezilat's 'bother' as Ratiug had called him. At the end of the day, the four left the parlor to find a crowd of children waiting for the presentation to end. It had been as though the day was just another day of the fates' visit. Jonasth was drawn aside with father to speak as Tol began a magic show for my brothers and me. I was more absorbed in the presence of the fourth participant in the daylong meeting that had been held.  
  
A young man, perhaps a few years older than Otamo had approached me when he had exited the parlor. I saw Ratiug and Tol glaring at him from over his shoulder.  
  
The man was as odd looking as Tol and Ratiug. He, unlike Tol and Ratiug's fairly normal colored hair, had dark green hair that fell past his ears. At first the long bangs covered his eyes, but he pushed them out of the way as he began to talk to me.  
  
"Leiryh, correct?" I looked nervously at my brothers who were still absorbed in Tol's hand tricks.  
  
"Yes. I mean yes sir." I corrected myself quickly, somehow managing to keep from stuttering.  
  
"Well then Leiryh, I might want to tell you that Ezilat, I mean your previous fate, passed away this early morning." He was grinning despite the fact that he was talking about death. I suppressed a shiver running down my spine and was instantly if surprisingly rewarded with immediate comfort with the odd man.  
  
"Oh." I had few words to present him with and it made me feel quite insignificant. So I studied his eyes. I was almost sure they were silver or gray, but every time I focused on detailing the exact color, my attention was drawn away from him. Father and Jonasth were breaking apart to my left and Tol had recently pulled a tortoise from behind Edtin's ears. The boys were teenagers and they were still amazed by Tol's feats. "Who are you?" I asked quite frankly as I forced my attention back to the grinning man. I had to crane my neck back to look up into his face and I realized I had been standing on tiptoe to study his eyes.  
  
"Ah, forgive me. I am Lander, previous bother to the past Ezilat as Tol and Ratiug say. Now, your third fate." He swept a graceful bow; his eyes looked almost black now- and father turned to bid Ratiug and Tol farewell. "And I may caution you Leiryh," he added, pulling my attention back to him, "to avoid walking atop the lily pads." The three fates disappeared and I gasped; his eyes were the most gorgeous brown I had ever seen. 


	6. Running

Chapter Three  
  
Leiryh once again sat with her back upon the rough bark of a familiar elm tree. The forest was alive with rustling sounds of miniature furry animals and a maze of split babbling brooks. The treetops, far above the ground, groaned as the occasional fierce winds whistled through their newer branches. Silence or at least the silence of missing civilization surrounded the young girl. She wasn't waiting; rather she was enjoying the moment between the arrival of others compared to her alone time.  
  
The sky was just barely visible between the sparring tree branches and thick green leaves. Leiryh slide down the tree trunk until she lay flat upon her back, her head cradled comfortably between the protruding roots of the tree base. Her light green eyes flashed across the tree canopy above her, searching out the various blotches of blue in the green quilt. A bird landed gracefully upon a branch not far above her and to the right, singing out a warning to her presence.  
  
Frowning, Leiryh shifted on the ground, her comfort suddenly dissipating. The girl bit her lip and twitched before rolling completely rolling onto her side and removing the offending twig from the ground. She surely hadn't noticed it there before. As she arranged herself back against the tree truck, she noticed quite regretfully that the birds had disappeared. A loud splash caught her attention and she turned to find her best friend, soaking wet in the brook.  
  
Leiryh scrambled quickly to her feet, sliding under the grass as she made her way towards the bank and her friend. Erih sat soaking wet in the shallows, legs folded beneath her and head hanging down as she starred fixedly at the water rippling around her. Leiryh couldn't see the tears stinging the back of the wet girl's eyes, but if Erih didn't manage to calm herself she would soon.  
  
"Erih! Are you alright?" Leiryh's voice sounded calm and collected, but as Erih listened to the girl splash into the water to halt at her friend's side, she knew that the younger girl was worried. The fallen girl sulked a bit more in the water, shifting slightly in the muddy bottom. Her dress was ruined, it had been a beautiful dark blue satin gown, colored to perfectly compliment her golden hair, and it was now torn in places and covered in mud. The blue ribbon that had been woven through her hair now dangled weakly from it's tie at the base of the plait of thick hair.  
  
"Leiryh..." began the dreary girl. Leiryh placed a hand on Erih's shoulder and without consideration to her own predictably drab gown, kneeled in the water next to her friend.  
  
"Come along Erih, we should get out of the water." Leiryh, ever proper, supported the older girl under the arm so it draped around her shoulders, and pulled Erih from the cold waters. Then they struggled quite pitifully up to the tree where Leiryh gently placed her delicate looking friend against the tree trunk. "What's happened?"  
  
"I don't want to get married Leiryh!" Cried Erih suddenly, as though the outburst had taken a lot of courage to muster. Leiryh gasped only because of the sudden passion in her friend's voice and not because of the declaration. Leiryh had never seen Erih as the passive princess type; perhaps it was because of her boisterous manner or interest in fighting. Erih didn't seem the type to marry and settle down.  
  
"Your parents," started Leiryh helpfully. She knew this somehow tied back to them and before she comforted her friend she had to figure out what it was that had made her so emotional.  
  
"My parents!" Spat Erih with distaste. "My parents care about that the king thinks and their wealth. They want me to marry the prince Leiryh, the prince!" Erih's eyes were wide and brimmed with tears. Her expression was mixed misery and distaste. "You know how the prince is," Leiryh didn't, "quiet, uninteresting, boring!" Erih sobbed this last description and buried her face in her hands.  
  
Leiryh watched her friend both horrified and amused. Her amusement was hidden quite skillfully for it was not proper for her to be amused with Erih's distress. Instead she sat back and pulled Erih's hands from her face. "Have they already arranged the marriage?"  
  
"Arrange it? They've had it planned for years! Years Leiryh! And they never told me!"  
  
Leiryh grimaced. "Erih, it is quite normal for arranged marriages you know–"  
  
"You can only say that because you're not in one so you know you wouldn't know one if you knew it!" Leiryh had to calm Erih before she got too far out of control and began to babble words mindlessly. Leiryh shushed her friend gently, sitting forward on her toes to grab Erih's hands back away from her face. Erih glared at Leiryh but didn't fight the restrain on her wrists. "I don't want to shush Leiryh!" She scowled at her friend childishly. Leiryh again hid her laughter; Erih's tone was an awkward mix of sarcasm and defeat.  
  
The two sat there in silence as Erih's tears slowly dried upon her cheeks. Leiryh maintained the hold on the elder girl's wrists but shifted around to sit at her side with her back against the tree comfortably. She recalled the reunion with her fates eleven months or so ago; they were due back in two weeks. Tol had included a rather vague statement in her prophecy this, or rather that year. After having warned Leiryh and Jonasth of a week of illness for their father in the month of November, she had whispered a concluding statement to her prophecy.  
  
"And as this year comes towards its end, My charge, dear Leiryh, should confront a friend."  
  
A shiver ran Leiryh's spine, an unusual habit that Leiryh experienced each time she heard of something relating to her curse ever since Lander had become her third fate. She was, as usual, rewarded by an immense sense of comfort after the shiver reached its end.  
  
"The prince is ugly too." Mumbled Erih from Leiryh's side and the two both chuckled. Erih faced Leiryh with a weak grin and Leiryh released the girl's wrists, nestling back against the tree bark and unwilling to let the sensation of comfort escape. "Why'd you hold my wrists?"  
  
"It helps." Leiryh shifted position, her emotions vacant as she remembered her mother. "The more you rub your eyes and pay attention to the tears, the more that come."  
  
"Oh." Erih was obviously unconvinced and she rubbed against her cheeks with her palms. "You remember when I told you about my plans for the future? When we were little?"  
  
"You were eight, I was seven. You talked my ears off for an entire day and never mentioned marriage or love." Leiryh replied, sinking against the tree to lay upon her back once more. Erih fussed with the hem of her gown as she shifted to sit sideways.  
  
"Do you know why?" Of course Leiryh didn't have a clue as to why. "It's because I'm cursed."  
  
Leiryh sat upright a slight to quickly. Her vision swung momentarily before she was able to focus upon Erih. No, her friend couldn't be cursed; there was nothing wrong with her. Leiryh would know, she was practically a sister to the girl. Of course, neither Erih nor Otamo knew about her curse or her fates even. Another shiver ran down her spine and the comfort that followed wasn't exactly pleasing.  
  
"No you're not." Stated Leiryh simply.  
  
"Yes I am." Erih argued. "Leiryh listen," Erih took a deep breath and as though she had rehearsed it began in a soft voice, "I am Erih Olovam Nacire and I am cursed." Erih breathed deeply, which surprised Leiryh for saying so few words in one breath wasn't exactly tiring. Then a shimmering in the air in front of them caught Leiryh's eye.  
  
A large and vicious, rather hungry looking bird appeared in front of the two girls. Leiryh squealed and curled away from it in fear but Erih only grimaced and looked away from Leiryh. The vulture was easily larger than Leiryh who herself was taller than Erih despite the year age difference Erih had over her friend. The bird gave a piercingly loud screech before a bright light transformed the bird into an unusually long blade of grass. Leiryh, panicked but not yet ready to give into hysteria, looked around, breathing heavily.  
  
"Where is it?" She asked frantically. Erih pointed meekly to the long blade of grass. "Really, where did it go?"  
  
"You really believed it was real?" Erih asked, folding her arms across her knees as she pulled them up to her chest.  
  
"Believed? I knew it was real! There was no way it couldn't be-" Leiryh paused and looked at Erih.  
  
"I make people see things that aren't actually there and they believe it. When my imagination or emotions carry me away that is. Or I can do it upon will. What did you see?" She asked worriedly.  
  
"A huge bird..." Leiryh trailed off looking at her friend. "This could explain a lot of childhood events, when else have you-" Erih cut her friend off abruptly by standing up.  
  
"I would never do it to you guys!" She protested, obviously offended. She meant Otamo and Leiryh. Leiryh grimaced and regretted doubting her friend. Erih didn't look near to tears though; instead she looked resolved upon a thought. "I have to go." She spoke as if reassuring herself and smiled. "That's it Leiryh! I'll leave, and have my own adventure and I won't have to marry some stupid prince!"  
  
Leiryh looked at her victorious friend momentarily before shaking her head and standing up slowly. She was completely confused by what was wrong with the situation, but she knew Erih would be unwilling to be patient enough to explain it to her.  
  
"Why does the curse keep you from marrying the prince? And-and don't your parents know about the curse? And running away? Are you insane?" Surprisingly enough Leiryh hadn't needed to shout or jumble the many questions on her mind. Erih smiled at her younger friend, feeling for once much older and mature than her younger companion. She wrapped Leiryh in a hug and sat the young child, or so it seemed, back on the ground.  
  
"The curse doesn't keep me from marrying Leiryh, I just don't want to marry. And no, my parents don't know about the curse, I was twelve when it happened and you know how my parents and I were when I was twelve-" Leiryh knew that Erih hadn't been close to her parents since she was five.  
  
"What happened? I mean, how did you get it?" For Leiryh it had been a thing of fate, ironically enough.  
  
"I-eh-managed to pass upon the wrong side of a fairy godmother as she was blessing her godchild. Furious with me for messing up her concentration and turning her beautiful goddaughter into boy she cursed me with this. Lucky me, I had already mastered the art of restricting ones more dangerous emotions."  
  
"Fighting with Otamo?" Leiryh suggested. Erih grinned and sat down upon the ground. "But why do you have to run away?" Leiryh wasn't going to cry; in fact she was going to be calm and rational about the entire thing. Leiryh had heard many tales of heroes and their adventures, and Erih seemed the prefect candidate for a happy ever after adventure, but why Erih? Why Leiryh's Erih?  
  
"Because..." Erih searched for a credible reason. "Because it's just time Leiryh." Erih sighed and stood up, Leiryh following quickly after.  
  
The younger girl forced a strained laugh. "You're risking your life because its time?"  
  
"I'm not risking my life Leiryh." Erih stated, obviously trying to make that the end of the conversation. Leiryh couldn't help but take her friend's hint. She shied down and gazed solemnly at her feet.  
  
"When are you leaving then?" 


	7. Similarities

Similarities  
  
A/N: I had lost inspiration, but now with the nearing of the end of school it has returned. I will try to keep active with this story and my new one, together. I have the outline for this one planned in my head but it won't come out on paper. Well, sorry about the wait...or...well wait. Here's the next chapter, and sorry if I repeat myself from previous chapters, or change any information. It got rather jumbled in my head, but I promise not to leave anything out at least.   
  
It's all going to be written in "I" form now. First person I mean.   
  
Also, much thanks to my reviewers, Miss Piratess and Livie. Thanks so much for your encouragement/reviews, it means a lot for me coming from you two and though I'm not much of a reviewer myself, I love your stories too. (My favorite stories : Miss Piratess = The Other Princess - Livie = Obedient Love / Belle of the Ball) Will try to review for you more.  
  
-  
  
The fate's maintained their normal visits, the week before my birthday. I was still restricted from the third presentation, Lander's presentation. Father was the sole witness to Lander's predictions, and after each presentation Lander would saunter easily into the hallway while father snuck around him and retreated to his bedrooms upstairs.  
  
Ratiug and Tol, after the first two years of working alongside the younger fate, had eased in their feelings towards him and had taken him under their care, as aunts would after a mother's death. Or, at least that's what I thought.  
  
The fate's first visit after Erih's declaration of running away had been made was memorable. I was excluded from all presentations upon order of Ratiug. Surprised, and offended, I waited in the hallway with my brothers. Lander was "running late" according to Ratiug so I had only Tol to turn on.  
  
"Why am I not allowed?" I demanded of Tol, planting myself firmly in front of the visibly aging witch. Tol's hair was producing more and more gray hairs each year now. The gray hairs, oddly, were not like the soft hair Tol had, but like the stick hair Ratiug possessed.  
  
"You've come of the age." She avoided my question, her insulting answers contradicting the past. I stared unflinchingly at her as she skillfully avoided my gaze. It continued like this for another few minutes before she faced me. "Leiryh, dear - " The fate's seemed to have a habit of calling me 'dear.' "Ratiug, Lander and I have all predicted a large change in your future, one that affects even us. It is important we discuss this with you father and amongst ourselves before we include you."  
  
I gasped. "It's all about me! Why should I be excluded? I'm almost sixteen." Tol opened her mouth to reply, but Ratiug, grim faced as usual but abnormally serious opened the door before I could get a response and ushered the younger witch inside. I was left with my brothers. Jonasth was away in town.  
  
Groaning in frustration, I collapsed upon the bench outside father's study door, eyeing the twins, the youngest of my siblings. They whispered confidentially in the corner, glancing my way before frowning, whispering a moment more and walking, I imagined they thought they were being sneaky, out the front door. I was alone.  
  
I threw my head back without a thought and rammed the back of my skull into the wooden frame over the bench. I gasped in pain, rolling in upon myself and clutching my head. My breath was caught in my throat and I took my time trying to return my normal breathing pattern. The floor swung in front of my feet and I frowned, at least in mind I did. I hadn't hit my head that hard, had I?  
  
In answer to my unspoken question, I felt a soft hand rest over mine as it held the back of my head and watched as a pair of feet materialized on the floor. I looked up to Lander's face as he grinned, amused, down at me.  
  
The pain and jumbled feeling in my head was gone and he folded his hands back behind his back. "Hurt yourself? The takes some talent."  
  
I ignored the insult and stood up quickly, a slight to quickly. His eyes sparkled lavender in front of me and I had to look at the floor to regain my balance. "Why am I restricted?" I demanded. His grin vanished, at least the emotion of it vanished from his voice even though it was still plastered on his expression.  
  
"It's complicated." He shrugged, turning to watch as the twins made their way back through the front door. They were covered in mud. I usually laughed at their immaturity for being seventeen years old, but I wasn't losing focus upon the subject of my restriction.  
  
"Tell me." I meant to ask, but it came out as a demand. His grin actually vanished this time and he opened his mouth, as Tol had before the study door opened once again, cutting him off. Exasperated, I turned to watch a white-faced father lead the two witches from his study. I walked over to him, reaching father's side the same time the twins did. They supported him by the arms, both looking worried.  
  
"Tell her." Father ordered Ratiug and Tol. "I need a nap." He grinned at me and pushed away from the twins, heading for the stairs. The twins followed, glancing once at the fates before helping father up the stairs.  
  
My three fates stood around me in a dispersed circle. I looked at each in turn. Ratiug looked worn and tired, her stick hair rather frail looking, as a fragile twig looks during the fall season. Tol looked rather bland, an expression unreadable upon her features. Lander still frowned, and I caught sight of his true brown eyes. A shiver ran my spine and he waved his hand as it hung at his side. The comfort was replacing the shiver.  
  
"You!" I gasped, looking at him curiously.  
  
"Ghosts annoy me." He answered simply, stepping towards father's empty study. Tol and Ratiug turned to follow and I fell in after Tol.  
  
"Ghosts?" I asked.  
  
"He means the rumor." She noticed my confused expression and sighed. "When a ghost passes through you, the hairs upon the back of your neck stand on end." I mechanically clamped a hand over the back of my neck and followed Tol into the study. Lander took father's chair behind the desk, Ratiug a stiff wooden chair in front of the desk and Tol left me the comfortable armchair. I sat, looking at them.  
  
This was my first personal council with my fates, and I knew then that it wasn't going to be my last. They each watched me in shifts, the two not looking my way exchanging mechanical glances towards each other I watched in confusion until it was Lander's shift to watch me.  
  
"We can talk to one another through glances." He explained patiently, breaking his gaze and looking pointedly at Ratiug and Tol in turn. "We have little need of that here though, don't we?"  
  
"You're still Ezilat's bother inside." Commented Tol rudely before turning her attention to me. Ratiug took up the task of informing me quite suddenly.  
  
"Leiryh, dear, Tol, Lander and I, this past year, we've had an unusual experience."  
  
"We all had the same prophecies." Tol took over, interrupting her elder. "We've had similar singular prophesies before, but this past year we all saw your path in life suddenly changing, and it was a bit disturbing."  
  
"You're the only person in known history and present times to have three different fates. And only sixteen times in history have their been persons with two fates. They all died at young ages." Lander included, adding a historic education in the possibility of my death. I sat, frozen.  
  
Ratiug continued. "You, Leiryh, are special, as Lander explained, and we in turn, like you, are special as well." I hadn't noticed how odd Ratiug communicated before.  
  
Silence fell and I hesitated to break the monotonous calm. "What'd you see?"  
  
"We won't put it in fancy terms for you Leiryh." Lander stood up, holding onto the arm of the chair. He looked at Tol and I sensed rather than guessed that the two were speaking in the way that Lander had said. With glances. Tol took up the explanation again.  
  
"We know your friend, Erih, is thinking of running away."  
  
"She is running away." I interrupted, growing tense at the change of subject. Tol continued without a pause.  
  
"We know her exact route Leiryh. We know what is going to happen to her, what she is going to do, who she is going to meet." She paused and looked at me. "Our prophetic visions have been of her journeys. Do you understand Leiryh?"  
  
I looked at them with a mixed emotion of confusion and surprise.  
  
"You're going on the journey with her Leiryh." Lander patted the top of his head. He looked nervous; in fact all three looked nervous.  
  
"No I'm not." I stated simply. "I can't, father would never let me. Erih would never let me. I would never go, I'm not the run-away type. Besides, A prince is chasing her, I would drag her down." Lander flinched and Tol started talking quickly. It was the first time I had been uncomfortable with others knowing my future when I myself didn't know what would happen that very day.  
  
"No, Leiryh, dear, you're going with her. She'll be by this night without a reason for showing up and ask you to come with her, as a friend. She'll plead with you if you refuse, with the guilt of being a best friend. Otamo will already be with her, he refused to be left behind once he heard Erih's plan. It will happen Leiryh."  
  
I glared at all three of them. They can't tell me what I am going to do. They had never told me what I am going to do, only what is going to happen to me. I looked pleadingly for a different answer, from Ratiug, from Tol, from Lander. Lander sat back down, rustling his hair. This was the most human I had ever seen my witches act. And I had a feeling they weren't done.  
  
"You'll go darling," started Ratiug with a nervous glance towards Lander, "because we have all seen you go. You have no other future but going." I suddenly felt very restricted. My breath caught in my throat and an uncomfortable but temptingly stable hate for the three fates rose in my emotions.  
  
"I won't." I whispered past my caught breath. Lander rose his arm off the chair in emphasis, facing Ratiug.  
  
"I told you. She shouldn't have to go. She has choices like a normal person. We've all been wrong before, why can't we be wrong all at the same time?"  
  
"Lander...Ratiug and I have more experience than you, and even if there have never been cases such as this before, we are sure she ahs no choice. A fate is fate, she has to follow one in order to continue life."  
  
"Tol's right." I curled my legs up onto the armchair, wrapping my arms around my knees and looking at each witch as they spoke. I couldn't believe I was teary, but I was. I had to fight some emotion, for as Ratiug, Tol and Lander fought I realized that they were right. I had to go what else would I do?  
  
"I'll go." I said, standing up shakily. Lander rolled his eyes and turned away from me. "I have to go." I looked instead to Tol for reassurance and she smiled meekly at me.  
  
"It won't be as bad as you think." Ratiug placed her warm palm upon my arm and I lost all hate for the three witches I might have had. "You'll have Erih, Otamo and Lander with you."  
  
"Lander?" I asked, lookng to his back. He turned and sighed, throwing those speaking glances to both Ratiug and Tol.  
  
"I have to go. You have to be under the eye of one of your three fates at all times, and with travelling that makes watching you much more difficult. It's a side detail of having a fate. A personal fate, I mean." He shrugged slightly, trying to avoid the issue that he had been so vehement about me not going only minutes ago when he actually didn't want to have to go with me. "Ratiug is to old, Tol, surprisingly enough, has a family outside of you, Ratiug and I so that leaves me."  
  
I sat back down in the armchair. My life was spinning and the realization of my agreement to go was catching up quickly.


	8. Secrets

Secrets  
  
Ratiug, Tol and Lander each had different hypothesis, I would call it, of how Erih and Otamo would arrive to take me away. Either Erih would throw rocks at my window, barge in the house in the middle of the night, or simply have Otamo kidnap me. Apparently she was determined not to go without me. Otamo, on the other hand, would either be sneaking along behind Erih without her knowledge, be running to catch up with us when he figured out what happened or be openly at Erih's side. I suppose that when I person has three fates sometimes the different fate's theories average amongst one another.  
  
I wasn't sleeping when Erih and Otamo burst into my room, but I must have been dozing when Erih had pelted the rocks at me window. I was ready though; my father had watched me pack earlier that day.  
  
He had stood there, motionless in the doorway as I sorted numbly through my belongings. He was silent, I suppose he had resigned himself to the fact that my fates had been pushing on me: fate must be followed. He moved only to tie up my rather small sack and then left after weakly patting my hair. I had taken it as I knew he meant it. He would miss me, I knew he would, even though I had come to realize the burden my curse had put on him. Only now did I realize how hard it must have been for father and mother, especially mother. Watching the daughter they had wished so vehemently for struggle through a life that they had already seen plotted out for her.  
  
My sack was small, surprisingly small, for the clothes and other miscellaneous objects I had packed into it. Mother's old comb, the first necklace I had received from my brothers for my birthday, the cloth flower I had begged Jonasth to make for me when I had realized the flowers died when winter came. I was a pampered child in my youth, and perhaps even now.  
  
Erih and Otamo were surprised to find me awake, but they didn't take a long time expressing it. We were out the door and in the garden only moments later. Otamo led us towards the Village Square, a market actually in the shape of a pentagon. I followed absently behind him, whispering with Erih and partially listening to Otamo's infrequent comments.  
  
"You didn't have to come with me Leiryh." I glanced at Erih, this comment only slightly off the subject of the constellations above us. I had figured her sudden interest in the constellations I had studied ever since I had realized that fate was a real prophecy was only a distraction.  
  
"Yeah I did." I spoke with a sigh before realizing I was basically telling Erih the majority of the secret I had kept from her and Otamo for so long. "I mean, any good friend would right?" I added quickly as she glanced at me with an awkward expression.  
  
Otamo mumbled something and shifted his pace to a slightly quicker gait, one which Erih and I took time in silence to adjust to.  
  
We continued on into the square where Otamo ordered us to wait by the fountain while he ran a few errands. I could only imagine the errands he was running in the early morning.  
  
"Why were you awake when we arrived?" It seemed my only purpose for accompanying Erih was so she could drill the secret out of me. She doesn't know about it. I corrected myself and quickly prepared a small white lie.  
  
"I had been ill all morning, I had over slept and had been unable to sleep tonight." She glared at me.  
  
"You don't sleep when you're sick Leiryh, I know that. You're either out at the brooks or in your mother's garden." I stiffened. What reason did she have to suspect anything of me? My eyes swept the rooftops visible from the fountain, and I found myself only slightly surprised to find a large shadow brushing across the tiles of a well-lit tavern. The shiver that had frequently run my spine these past few weeks returned and almost immediately the comfortable relief from the shiver took over. I could almost see Lander atop the roofs, waving his hand at the invisible ghosts passing through me.  
  
Otamo returned, cutting Erih from her protest of my avoidance of the question. He shoved two warm rolls into each of our hands and grinned mischievously. Perfect timing. I smiled to myself as Erih, distracted with the food, was silenced with the food in her mouth.  
  
We walked in a group now; heading down the wide street that led out of town. Erih was ravenous, consuming both of her rolls and a half of one of mine. Otamo also quickly finished both of his, but I was more sparring with my rolls, and stowed an uneaten half away in my small sack.  
  
We walked on, talking away the silence with stories and memories of our childhood. Erih slowly became more and more confident as we distanced ourselves from the town, making jokes on the reactions of her parents and that horrible prince while I paled and quieted. I had never been so far from home.  
  
Otamo noticed my nervousness. I wasn't meant for this type of adventure; the brooks that were in the forest beyond our house were enough for me.  
  
"Yeah, they'll probably forget all about you Erih, I mean your arranged marriage, and choose some other possible bride for the prince. Then we can return home." He was reassuring me more than agreeing with Erih's far- fetched ideas.  
  
We crossed the short wooden bridge over the Edenth River that marked the boundary of our town. Upon the other bank we paused a moment to look upon the great forest ahead of us.  
  
"They'll send a party after you." A sudden familiar voice at my side. I gasped, turning to Lander and trying to push him quickly away.  
  
"Fool, they don't know!" I hissed fearfully.  
  
"Who're you?" Otamo's voice was cold. I turned, holding Lander behind my back in a failing attempt to hide him from Otamo and Erih. Erih held an unsheathed sword I had not seen at her side before in one hand and Otamo had possession of a small dagger. I knew both of them were willing to fight if the need arose, and somehow I was surprised I had not thought of the possibilities of human dangers we might encounter.  
  
"No!" I held out my hands in front of Erih and Otamo. "No, I know him, it's okay." I wasn't sure Lander could get hurt, but I was positive that Erih and Otamo were quite able to.  
  
"Who is he then?" Erih asked, the sword and dagger she and Otamo had held disappearing into fingers I had not noticed were missing while they were gripping the weapons. One of Erih's tricks, I realized. Otamo focused on me while Erih moved to my side to get a better look at the tall and, now I realized rather weird looking man.  
  
"He's..." I hesitated, trying to figure out how to break this to my friends. A sudden chill, fiercer than the others I had experienced when thinking about the curse or my fates, rattled my spine and I gasped, at a loss for breath. A warm palm rested on the back of my neck and I breathed deeply in relief. I turned my head, blinking questioningly at Lander. "Why does that only happen when I talk about you guys?"  
  
"Who are you?" Erih asked again, placing her arms across her chest and now starring intently at me. This had been my fear since my first friendship with Otamo. How would they react, I was cursed. I stepped back, into Lander who released my neck in surprise. The shivers returned, more powerful than I had yet to experience, and I collapsed on the ground, my head, coincidentally, colliding with the large surface of a dust covered hidden boulder in the ground.  
  
I shivered into wakefulness, curling into myself, as was habit with the touch of morning cold. My eyes remained shut while I took a moment to remember falling asleep. A warm palm on the back of my neck brought back mostly everything.  
  
"Why?" I demanded, sitting up roughly and spinning quickly to face my fate.  
  
Lander sat with his back against a large tree trunk; his head titled back to the sky. His hands were folded over his knees bent up to his chest. I glanced the other way to find Erih looking at me worriedly. It was her hand on my neck.  
  
"You okay Leiryh?" She asked worriedly. Otamo stirred from his place by a small fire nearby. Trees surrounded us and the ground was covered in a thick soft moss.  
  
"How'd we get here?' I asked, reaching back to feel Erih's hand. It lifted from my neck and I found myself uncomfortable in the absence of those involuntary shivers that had stunned me so.  
  
"He led us here." Erih tossed her head towards the sleeping Lander while flexing her hand. "We're somewhere in the Edenth forest, I know that much."  
  
"How –" Otamo cut me off as he turned form the crackling fire to join our small circle.  
  
"We've only been here a few minutes. The trip only took a few minutes. He carried you here, told Erih to keep her hand on your neck until you woke up and then fell asleep behind you. Now who is he?"  
  
I eyed my two dearest friends warily, worrying once more about their reactions to the curse, when I remembered Erih, and when she told me about her own curse. She had always been bolder than I had though, and I hesitated with the truth as a lie began to formulate in my mind.  
  
"The truth." Erih commented quickly, somehow recognizing the plot in my expression.  
  
"I'm cursed." I blurted quickly. It was like chores; do them quickly and get them over with. Otamo and Erih starred at me blankly. "I'm cursed." I repeated it, searching for some sort of confidence in the words. The lack of violent shivers vibrating my spine alerted me to Lander's consciousness. "I'm cursed with three fates." I looked at the moss, picking at it solemnly with my fingers.  
  
Erih and Otamo sat in silence before Erih, the more curse-knowledgeable of the two spoke up. "Since when?"  
  
I shrugged, somehow finding the conversation easier than I had imagined. "It's not really a 'since when' sort of occurrence. I've been cursed since before my birth, it was...fate for me to have three fates."  
  
"Three fates?" Otamo frowned, before shaking his head and glancing back at the fire.  
  
"Yes, three. They come every week before my birthday – "  
  
"They?" Otamo asked again. Erih was quiet and seemed to have resigned herself to listening.  
  
"Yes, they. Three witches – " A grumble from behind me, one I felt was only audible to me, alerted me to my mistake. "Three proph...ets come to my house every week before my birthday and tell me what will happen to me in the future year." Silence from both my friends told me to continue. "Tol knew I was going to meet you, Otamo, in a tree during my fifth year. Ratiug knew that Erih's father's prized mare was going to die during my eleventh year. Ezilat..." I paused, remembering the third fate hesitantly. "Ezilat knew my mother was going to die when I turned ten years old."  
  
"Who's Ratiug, Ezilat and..." Otamo frowned, waving his hand in front of his face as he tried to remember the first name.  
  
"Tol." I finished for him. "Ratiug and Tol are two of my fates, Ezilat was the third."  
  
"Was?"  
  
"She died...She died when I was...twelve. Lander, this is Lander." I turned and glanced at the tall man behind me. His green hair was swept away form his forehead and I was grateful for his closed eyes. The ever-changing pupils of his would have been too much for me then. "Lander took Ezilat's place, he's my third...well technically fourth fate."  
  
Otamo and Erih simply starred at the odd man behind me. I watched them stare a moment, trying to imagine what they were thinking before turning and looking at Lander myself. His eyes opened as I turned, and he eyed the curious Otamo and Erih, grinning peaceably.  
  
"Have a nice sleep?" I asked, wondering why I thought fates didn't sleep.  
  
"I don't sleep." He reassured me calmly, stretching out his arms above his head and his legs out in front of him. "I was watching your future."  
  
I heard Otamo scuffle around behind me and felt Erih get up behind me, using my shoulder for support before walking off towards the trees on the far side of the fire. Sudden crackling caught my attention. I got up from the ground slowly and joined Otamo and Erih by the fire.

--

A/N: Yay for reviewers! -passes out big swirlly rainbow lollipops- I have no doubt that there is confusion in the story. Please ask questions if you have them, it'll help me with the next chapter.

-Lai


	9. Advances

Advancing  
  
A/N: Okay, so this chapter is going to be a little...okay a lot – er – very fast. Just because I'm to...lazy to actually write out everything although that's something I would normally do, and also because of inspiration that flees quickly and sudden notice that the difference between my story and the fav's (-cough - reviewers – cough-) is that its...slow and not really going where I want and in order to jerk it back on track sudden measures must be taken. [Ehe, yeah. Take every chance you get to bribe (lollipops) and compliment (coughing fit) the reviewers.]  
  
-  
  
It wasn't the adventure I had been expecting. Not the adventure that one dreams of as a little child. And every child dreams of adventure even if, given the choice, that particular child would refuse such an outdoors experience, as I would have.  
  
We continued our advance into the great forest, the forest in which the border between Edenth and our neighboring kingdom Thael lay. Neither Erih, Otamo nor I knew what we were doing, and Lander refused to admit to not knowing anything for he 'had no reason to know anything.' Erih and I frequently used this excuse against him, Erih teasing him relentlessly of his absentmindedness and I laughing along with her, the leader.  
  
The second day away from home was similar to the first. Awkward and unpredictable silences as we tracked down the dusty trail. Erih was unusually quiet, her hands folded across her chest, her still gossamer-like hair in perfect waves, cascading down her back. Her clothes were clean and her skin was spotless. I, in contrast, was covered in dirt, my hair was a mess of twigs tangled deep and my clothes thankfully were yet to have holes. Otamo complained infrequently and Lander never.  
  
Each night became a routine; Lander hunting while Otamo made the fire. Erih and I were the classical nobles, completely useless and unknowing in the grand forest. After two days of silence on the road, Erih broke.  
  
"It's too quiet." Silence. "Okay, then entertainment." Erih shrugged to herself and fell back into her usual silence, feel back into a disturbing trance and her usual silence.  
  
"You know," started Otamo, "this adventure isn't quite what I thought you were picturing Erih. In fact, what'' the point of – " He was suddenly cut off by a deep and rather loud growl come from the side of the trail.  
  
I screamed, despite my better judgement, and was shushed almost immediately by Otamo's left hand clamped over my mouth. I glanced down and in his right was a familiar looking dagger in place of two fingers. I glanced at Erih as Otamo released me. She too had the sword back in her hand, missing three fingers and Lander was equipped with a bow, arrows and a hat. He had all his fingers, but I realized that his green hair was not poking out from beneath the hat. I felt a slight tingling in my right hand and looked down to see a long staff in place of three of my fingers.  
  
I didn't have much time to panic about the loss of three fingers, the reality of it not striking me as fast as sudden quaking of the earth beneath me feet. I wobbled, tipping to the side while skipping sideways in attempt to maintain some balance. Erih lunged forward with a sudden surge of the ground, toppling into Otamo while I fell sideways into Lander.  
  
A dragon rounded the corner ahead of us; a full grown scaly beast with leathery wings. I was numbed with fear, unable to breathe, much less talk, which made Lander's hand over my mouth rather useless. Erih yelled with an emotion I distinguished as excitement.  
  
It was fake. It was Erih making some fun for herself. I cringed in confusion, and Lander released his hold as I slacked from my tense fear. He turned to me, those blue eyes, no they weren't blue they were – Erih was laughing and the dragon, which had shrunk in size, did a few somersaults.  
  
"You okay Leiryh?" He asked, his tone saturated with worry. I grinned as I heard Otamo join in the laughing. My mind refused to register anything; it was numb with shock. Lander's eyes were a questioning ruby-red and Erih and Otamo were jogging over to check on me, their weapons, and I realized mine, were gone.  
  
I blinked a few times, recognizing worried faces, rather worried tones, as they each in turn asked me if I was okay. That was Otamo, his face split between a scowl at Erih and a weak grin at me, and that was Erih, torn between laughter and guilt. That was Lander again, his eyes white – and there was Erih asking Otamo if he'd like it better if she took out her boredom on him.  
  
No! Lander's eyes are brown! I forced myself to look at him as he watched Erih tackle Otamo into the dirt. I saw the flicker of color I knew they were and relaxed, listening to Otamo and Erih fight as they once did in the brook. Everything was back to normal, it was okay now.  
  
The next day we were on the track again, but the day held more excitement and energy than the day before.  
  
Otamo, Erih and I walked side by side, conversing as we always did, in random bursts of thought and detail. Lander set his pace behind us, contented with the debarking of a rather large twig.  
  
"I was bored." Protested Erih for the third time that morning. I grinned, she wasn't guilty about it anymore, and instead she was quite pleased with herself. "It was good practice to, just in case any strange bandits come along down the road; I can turn the forest in an army!"  
  
"Please don't."  
  
"Sure, that can be all good and useful, but you don't see it as we do." Otamo kicked absently at a rock in the path.  
  
"Oh? And how do you see it?"  
  
"Leiryh and I see it as a real thing. A living, breathing, hungry monster from some fairy tale. Lander too."  
  
"Lander is a fairy tale, a dragon isn't a fairy tale." Erih pulled her long plait of hair over her shoulder.  
  
"Lander is a fate, not a fairy." I had to put in my own opinion or the conversation would eventually stop despite the fact that Erih and Otamo could easily argue for hours without a word from me. Lander's silence at the rear disturbed me, and after my last input I quickly broke away from the two.  
  
"Are you alright?" I asked as I waited for him to catch up. It was a rather lame question, and I was embarrassed for speaking so without speaking, but Lander seemed to easily disregard it. A sudden shiver passed through my spine, one I hadn't felt for a long time. I caught my breath and watched as Lander twitched his hand as it played with the bark of the branch he held. The comfort was a welcomed relief. "Ghost?" I asked, remembering what Tol had told me.  
  
"No." I paused a moment, confused.  
  
"Then what is it and why does it go away when you..." I wiggled my fingers in front of me to signify the movement of his hand. I merited a chuckle, which made me blush. I was making a fool of myself.  
  
He hesitated before answering me. "It's your fate." He shifted uncomfortably, scratching his head, ruffling with his hair with his empty hand. "It's the thing that determines your fate. They, "he motioned to Otamo and Erih. "They have it too. Just not as frequently because...well they only have half a fate."  
  
"Half a fate?" I was intrigued, and I turned sideways to look at him while we walked. I avoided his eyes, not wanting to be distracted on this topic.  
  
"They can choose some things, you can't choose anything. It's all predetermined for you. Not a choice, not an option, only an opinion. An opinion." He swished the branch at his side against the ground.  
  
"I have a choice...I choose to come willingly on this...trip." I was unsure of myself, speaking without thought at the sudden realization.  
  
"That's an opinion." He pointed towards me with a large piece of stripped bark.  
  
"I came willingly versus coming under force." I argued, surprised with myself for arguing at all on such a small subject. It was Erih and Otamo that did that.  
  
"That's an opinion." He repeated sighing. "The only thing that matters is that you came. It's similar to liking foods. You like some foods and absolutely hate others, the fact is that you eat them or you don't. Same thing with acquaintances, your friends or your enemies, you either know them or you don't."  
  
"But I have a choice whether they are my friends or my enemies."  
  
"No, that's an opinion." He looked at me to emphasize his point and I quickly switched my gaze to his hair. _It's green, it's green, and I know what it is. And his eyes are brown...brown..._ I looked and there were the eyes I knew were purple – Otamo and Erih were farther ahead of us now than they had been a minute ago. I moaned in frustration and switched my gaze to the ground.  
  
I felt his eyes on me, the _brown eyes_ that I knew were brown. It was silent a moment before he asked quite suddenly, "What color are my eyes?" I looked out of habit, the habit to answer people's questions when they are so naturally simple and was caught again looking at blue eyes as Erih kicked up a bunch of trail dust at Otamo.  
  
I gasped in my surprise to be caught so easily and weakly pushed his arm as though it would push him away. It didn't, predictably, and instead caused me to step sideways a couple feet. I glared at him and his hidden eyes a moment. "Well, if what you say is fact and opinion than Erih and Otamo have as much as a choice in their fate than I do."  
  
"No, people change their fate constantly through their opinions."  
  
"I'm people too – er – a person too." I stuttered, glancing away at the ground before steeling my resolution and turning back to him. "I'll change my fate through my opinions then." I caught sight of his eyes, the brown eyes, and it sent a different shiver down my spine.  
  
"Do it." He threw the stick off into the trees. "Do it and when you manage to do it I'll be the first to congratulate you." The silence fell again and we walked, I in thought and Lander...Lander in being. Minutes passed and I listened to Erih and Otamo ahead as their argument drew to a close. They'd be needing me again to start up another one.  
  
"I'm going to catch up with Erih and Otamo." I told him simply. A shiver once more ran my spine and I scowled, but the comfort came anyway.  
  
"The fate passes through you and comes to either Tol, Ratiug or I in our next sleep or meditation." I was caught again with interest.  
  
"Leiryh! Lander! There's someone coming!" Erih and Otamo ran up to us from ahead, Erih already beginning to focus and phase as she seemed to have a habit of doing before making something appear.  
  
The tingling sensation in my hand stung as the horse hooves pounded around the curve. 


End file.
